Make Me A Flame

Many times we pray “God, make me like you” but do we actually understand the gravity of this prayer… or prayers like this? The process of sanctification is meant to be a daily undertaking. We are to be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), but I think we forget that sacrifices…are dead 😅, so that means, as living sacrifices we are living each day to die-die to our ourselves, flesh, desires…will. Okurrr, admittedly this sounds a tad morbid lol! Late last year God told me “Toki you need to get comfortable with being disliked and being misunderstood” that was followed up by a rhetorical question from Him “why do you care so much about being understood?” This dialogue undoubtedly marked the beginning of a not just a beautiful exchange between me and my best friend but also Him inviting me into becoming more like Him. Jesus was perfect and they misunderstood him (sometimes intentionally aka bad mind). He was blameless and they disliked/despised him. But me me ohhhh (in my Yoruba accent) I am not perfect lol! So how much for me, and dare I say US. There is a holy tension that arose in me that day. I remember sharing how excited I was about what God was doing in me. It felt incredible, yet paradoxically agonizing at the same time. I remember Him telling me He was uprooting the remnants of being under heavy criticism and intimidation for so long, which led to striving for the approval of men. He used a situation that arose in that season, where He revealed some things to me and told me to go one way, but others I trusted and know to be solid, were going in another direction. He told me when I say go right even if everyone is going left you go right. I resisted the urge to rationalize and reason things out with Him because I trusted Him. Immediate obedience-that’s what He required of me. Sometimes the process He has us in requires us to go one way and the process may require others to go another way. What God may be doing in us and them may have the the same end goal i.e. sanctification and making us like Him, but the process differs because He knows us intimately, He knows what’s in our hearts, He knows what we can bear, He knows our deepest hurts etc. Sometimes It’s something completely different i.e. God is saving you from destruction, hurt or judgment. Sometimes the way others are going is a dangerous road and it’s not that God loves them less but maybe He has warned them and they have chosen that way. Regardless, God has called us to the narrow road, so as painful as it may be, walk with courage and boldness along the narrow road, knowing that you are not alone because He is always with you. He said to me “when I’m finished what I’m doing in you, you will never again look for the approval of men.” He gave me the grace to obey and I’m glad I did!

What is it that God is trying to get you to put to death? What has He be showing you that’s an invitation to become more like Him and to go deeper with Him?

My journey has been filled with pain that many would be shooketh to know, but it is also a life spent on my face, at His feet, being loved by Him and loving Him, and I would never trade the love and intimacy we have, I am His favourite the disciple and daughter He loves. 

The death to ourselves isn’t pleasant but there is finality in it if we allow the Fire of Spirit of God to fill and reign in us and the Fire of affliction to refine us. 

Hebrews 12:11“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

So surrender because it’s worth it! Here’s to becoming flames for Him and cheers to never looking like what we are going through 🥂

#christiancontent #christian #lifelessons